PeloPonnese
Ar
KADIA
PeloPonnese
SLEEPING
& E
ATING
PeloPonnese
CENT
rAL
Ar
KADIA
Nafplio (€6.70, two daily) and Patra (€16.20, one
to two daily).
The bus stop (%27102 42086; http://www.ktelark-
adias.gr; Lagopati, Tripoli) handles departures
to Sparta (€5.40, nine daily) and Kalamata
(€8.10, two daily on weekdays).Central Arkadia
To the west of Tripoli is a tangle of precipitous
ravines and narrow roads that wind their way
through the medieval-village-speckled valleys
of the Menalon Mountains. This is the heart
of Arkadia, where you’ll find some of the
most breathtaking mountainous scenery in
the Peloponnese, along with some excellent
hiking opportunities (and skiing in winter).
Having your own wheels is a real boon here,
as public transport to the main villages is lim-
ited to one or two buses per day.Stemnitsa Στεμνίτσα
POP 200
Stemnitsa (stem-nee-tsah), 26km northwest
of Tripoli, is a striking village of stone houses
and Byzantine churches, known for its silver
and gold craftsmanship. If you want to peek
in any churches, ask around for the keys.
The starting (or finishing) point for the
Menalon Trail (p 146 ), Stemnitsa is a good
base for hikers.4 Sleeping & Eating
oMpelleiko B&B €€
(%6976607967, 27950 81286; http://www.mpelleiko.gr;
s/d/tr incl breakfast €65/75/85; W) The ultrahos-
pitable and knowledgeable English-speaking
owner, Nena, has converted her family home
(dating from 1650) into a stylish, contempo-THE MENALON TRAILThe well-signposted, 72.5km Menalon Trail (www.menalontrail.eu) stretches from
Stemnitsa to Lagkadia, passing through the dramatic scenery of the Lousios Gorge, the
western slopes of Mt Menalon, the Mylaon River valley and the Gortynian Mountains.
Completed in May 2015 by a group of volunteers, the trail is divided into eight sections of
varying difficulty, the Stemnitsa–Dimitsana leg being the most popular.
The eight trail sections are as follows:
Stemnitsa–Dimitsana (12.5km, 4½ hours) A picturesque descent into the Lousios
Gorge past Prodromos Monastery, followed by an ascent to the Old and New Philosop-
hou Monasteries. The trail then follows the course of the river before leading up to the
Open Air Water Power Museum. From the Prodromos Monastery there’s a worthwhile
detour south to Ancient Gortys.
Dimitsana–Zygovisti (4.2km, 1½ hours) A gentle ascent past St Apostoli Monastery, and
along footpaths and dirt roads through fields.
Zygovisti–Elati (15km, five hours) This section ascends to the Bilali Pass over the West-
ern Menalon massif, with some steep sections and an optional detour to Pliovouni Peak
(1643m).
Elati–Vytina (8.5km, 2¼ hours) Partially paved, wooded trail that passes by some
ancient ruins and abandoned windmills.
Vytina–Nymphasia (5.6km, 1½ hours) The trail descends to a short gorge before
ascending gently through a rock-and-shrub landscape.
Nymphasia–Magouliana (9km, 3½ hours) Through oak and spruce forests, the trail
descends to Kernitsas Monastery and passes by Sfyrida Hermitage and Gavros Spring.
Magouliana–Valtesiniko (7.5km, two hours) The path descends past an old sanitorium
and follows a riverbed.
Valtesiniko–Lagkadia (13.9km, five hours) The path ascends to a Byzantine fortress, then
passes through open country and traverses valleys before ending at a war memorial.
You can download the excellent digital app Menalon Trail topoGuide for detailed
offline maps and numerous points of interest. If you’re not digitally inclined, the Anavasi
Topo25 Lousios 8.51; 1:22,000 map is very handy for the Lousios Gorge section and the
surrounding villages.
Of the villages, Stemnitsa, Dimitsana, Valtesiniko and Lagkadia all have places to stay
and eat, and you can pick up provisions at Vytina, Nymphasia and Magouliana.